1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for making photographic prints from negatives, positive slides, prints or other materials, and is of the type which includes at least one magazine for storing light sensitive photographic material on a roll, which material is dispensed in the desired size, and transported for exposure by a transport system which provides for vacuum support and guidance of the material, and which material may be subsequently processed after exposure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Computer controlled photographic printers are commercially available from several worldwide manufacturers. Such photographic printers are adapted to transport and expose photosensitive paper either by contact printing or by image projection systems. The exposed or printed photographic paper is chemically processed, then washed and dried to produce finished photographic prints.
Large photofinishing labs usually have dedicated printers for exposing one type and/or one size of photographic paper. The photographic paper is on rolls in light tight magazines, and after being exposed is collected in light tight magazines. The exposed paper is then unwound from the roll magazines and fed into a photographic processor. While large photofinishing laboratories may have a large volume of different sizes and types of film to be processed and developed, and can well afford to have several dedicated printers and dedicated processors, the cost for the required number of processors is high and requires a large volume of material to support.
Even medium size photofinishing laboratories are limited to the types and sizes of prints that they are able to process, and usually do not attempt to offer a complete range of types and sizes of finished product.
In recent years printers have been connected directly to film processors so that once film has been developed, prints can be made and processed by a single operator at a console or control station of a printer. The most popular type printer processors are commonly referred to as Mini-Labs, and provide photographic prints from roll or disk film within one or two hours after receipt of the exposed film. Such printer processors are available from many manufacturers, such as Hope Industries, Inc. of Willow Grove, Pa., as well as numerous other manufacturers. These printer-processors are capable of making prints from negative film, but do not usually also process reversal prints from positives, nor do they process black and white prints from negatives, nor do they process prints from prints.
It is extremely desirable to provide a photographic printer apparatus that may be operated by a single operator and that is both cheaper and more reliable than previously available apparatus and which also can expose, and if desired, process a wide variety of light sensitive photographic material of various sizes and types.